System of distribution for multiple-glower lamps.



NO..79Q,472. PATENTED MAY 23,1905.

' Y A. J. WURTS. SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION FOR MULTIPLE GLOWER LAMPS.

APPLICATION :ILED NOV .9,1900.

"WEI/TOR ayauulu. M

ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

UNITED. STATES Patented May 23,1905.

, PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER JAY WURTS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGEWESTINGHOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION FOR MULTIPLE-GLQWER LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,472, dated May 23, 1905. Application filed e b 9, 1900. Serial No. 35,989.

To aZZ whom it may concern-r Be it known that LALEXANDER J AY VVURTs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Systems of Distribution for Multiple-Glower Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric lamps of the type in which the light-giving members are non-conductors when cold and become conductors when heated to the proper temperature, and more particularly to the construction and arrangement of lamps in circuit, whereby a plurality of such lamps may be operated in series.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction of apparatus and an arrangement of circuits whereby multiple-glower lamps connected in series may be so operated and controlled that if one or more of the glowers of any lamp burn out or from any other cause become inoperative the current will be di' verted from the lamp either by cutting the lamp out of circuit or by short-circuiting it. With this .end in view I have devised the means shown in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a diagram showing a plurality of lamps connected in series. Fig. 2 is adiagram illustrating means for cutting a lampout of circuit; and Fig. 3 is a diagram similar to Fig. 2, but showing means for short-circuiting the lamp.

The supply-circuit 1 may be either a constant-current or a constant-potential circuit, and the lamps 2, connected in series therein, severally comprise a plurality of glowers 3, six being shown; and a corresponding number of ballast resistances 4. The heater 5is connected in shunt to the glowers and ballast resistances through a cut-out 6 in the usual manner, the actuating-coil 7 for the cut-out being connected in series with the ballast resistances and glowers and a portion of the coil being in series with the heater through the cut-out, as indicated, in order to render the cut-out sensitive in operation. An inductive resistancecoil 8 is connected in shunt to each lamp and is of such character and proportions that when the lamp is operating under normal conditions there will be only a slight leakage of current through the coil. In order that the current supplied to the lamps from the circuit 1 may be diverted from any lamp in the event of the destruction of a predetermined number of its glowers, I provide a cut-out 9, the stationary contact-terminals 10 and 11 of which are re spectively connected to one terminal of the coil 7 and to one terminal of an actuating-coil 12 of cut-out 9. I provide the cut-out 9 with a second actuating-coil 13, having a greater number of turns than the coil 12 and connected in series with the shunt resistance-coil 8. The coils 12 and 13 are so proportioned that when the lamp is operating normally only a slight leakage-current is passing through the coil 8, and the combined am pore-turns of the coils l2 and 13 will be insufficient to operate the cutout 9; but in case of a rise of potential on the lamp for any reason, such as the destruction of one or more of the glowers of the lamp, the additional ampere-turns which will be added to the compound actuating-coil by reason of the additional flow of current through coil 13 will open the cut-out, and thereby cause all the current to flow through coil 13, which will then have suflicient ampere-turns to keep the cut-outopen, the coil 12 having been disconnected from the circuit by the operation of the cut-out. In order to effect this result, the coil 13 will have a few more turns than the coil 12; but each of them must be able to carry substantially the entire current of the circuit. It will be understood that this cutting out of the lamp will not endanger the other lamps of the series, since the shunt-coil 8, operating in conjunction with the coil 13, will be so proportioned as to maintain a substantially constant resistance in the circuit 1.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an arrangement of apparatus similar to that of Fig. 2, by means of which I establish a short circuit around the lamp when one or more of its glowers become destroyed. The glowers 3, ballast resistances 4, heater 5, heater cut-out 6, its actuating,

fication, however the cut-out 14: is open when the lamp is in operation and the coil 15 having the larger number of turns is connected in series with the inductive resistance-coil 8. The coil 16 having the smaller number of turns has its respective terminals connected to one stationary contact-terminal 17 of the cut-out and to the constant-current circuit 1 beyond the coil 8, the other contact-terminal 18 of the cut-out 1 1 and the outer terminal of cut-out coil 7 being connected to conductor 1 at the side of the coils 15 and 16 opposite the coil 8. When the lamp is operating under normal conditions, there will be a slight leakage-current through coils 15 and 8 and thecut-out 14 will be open. If one or more of the glowers break, the resulting rise of potential on the terminals of the lamp will force more current through coils 15 and 8, and the former Will act to close the cut-out 14, and thus short-circuit the lamp through the coil 16, which will maintain the short circuit by holding the cut-out in its closed position until the lamp receives attention.

Other arrangements of apparatus and circuits for effecting the result attained by those here shown and described, if operating in substantially the same way, are within my invention, and I therefore desire it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific details here set forth.

1 claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a multiple-glower lamp and a resistance in shunt thereto, of an interrupter for the glower-circuit having an operating-magnet provided with one coil connected in series with the lamp and with another coil conneeted in series with the resistance.

2. The combination with a multi1')le-glo\\"er lamp and a resistance in shunt thereto, 0! two coils respectively in series with the lamp and with the resistance and means actuated by said coils to divert current from the lamp upon the breaking or burning out of one or more glowers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 31st day of October, 1900.

ALEXANDER J AY \VURTS.

Witnesses:

HUGH ANDREW CROOKS, MICHAEL EDGAR (JINTHER. 

